Page 24 of The Last Thing (Baker Girls #4)

“Just some water with extra?—”

“Ice. I know.”

She smiles up at me, like she’s saying she told me so. How I take care of her is obvious. But I don’t even think about it. It’s not a choice. It’s what I do because I care about her.

It’s not until I turn toward the door that I feel her parents’ eyes on me.

I glance back for half a second, and am met with an approving smile from each of them. For a second it surprises me, but then I think about what I’d want for Sophia. I’d want someone who would take care of her the same way I do and make sure she had everything she needed.

While I may have just won some points with her parents, I still don’t think it’ll be as easy as Hallie said to fully win them over.

We fell into a relaxed conversation as Eddie fired up the grill and started cooking.

Cheyenne told me all about their work as realtors and then asked questions about Sophia. Hallie spent the next half hour showing her mom pictures of Sophia while we both told stories about her.

Overall, it’s been a pretty relaxed afternoon.

Hallie’s parents seem great. Caring without being overbearing or embarrassing.

And it’s easy to see Hallie gets her lighthearted playfulness from both sides.

I’m curious where she gets her edge from, though.

So far, I haven’t seen a hint of it from either of her parents.

Cheyenne and Eddie made a delicious lunch of steak, asparagus, and grilled garlic bread.

It’s been mostly silent because we’ve all been savoring the food, but when I look over at Hallie’s plate, I realize she’s pushing around the same piece of steak she had on her fork ten minutes ago.

She picked at the asparagus and garlic bread.

I rub my hand down her back. “Okay?”

Her eyes flash to me, and she tries to force a smile, but I can tell she’s fighting back nausea. “I’m fine. Just not much appetite.”

“Did you tell them?—”

She cuts me off with a look, but Cheyenne has already tuned in to our conversation.

“Is the food not settling okay?”

“It’s fine,” Hallie chirps.

“She has a hard time eating most foods these days. She has a shortlist of stuff that settles well.”

Cheyenne’s gaze narrows. “You told me anything would be fine.”

“I didn’t want you to worry about what I can and can’t eat.”

I push my chair back. “Okay, that’s it. You said there’s a diner a couple of blocks away? I assume they have milkshakes and fries. What’s the name?”

“Frank’s. But you don’t?—”

“You need food you can eat.”

I move to stand, but she presses her hand into my thigh. “No… I mean, you don’t have to go there. You can order online and they’ll deliver.” Her eyes drop from mine. “That way you can stay here.”

I drop back down and scooch my chair back in, then wrap my arm around Hallie’s back, pulling her chair closer to me while I find the website for the diner on my phone with my other hand.

If she wants me to stay with her, there’s not a chance I’m leaving her side.

I put in the order, and Hallie rests her head on my shoulder. She’s still fighting the nausea, which for her usually happens if she doesn’t eat enough or if she eats something that doesn’t settle well with her.

She grabs her water and sips on it, and I notice Cheyenne watching her carefully.

“I wish you would’ve told me. I would’ve made sure you had what you needed in the house.”

Hallie tries to shrug it off. “I usually just roll with whatever there is and then get food that settles for me later.”

“Or you end up making yourself sick. Don’t do that.” I kiss her cheek, right by her ear, and a little shiver rolls through her.

Not one touch today has been pretend, and it’s how I want to touch her all the time.

Maybe this weekend will put a little more pressure on her walls. I’m ready to see them tumble down, so I can find the depth of her and her beautiful heart beneath them.

“So, Wilson, how will things work between you and Hallie as your relationship grows? Or once the baby is born? Will you continue paying her to be your nanny?”

Hallie’s eyes fly wide. “Dad!”

But the question doesn’t faze or surprise me. It’s what I’d ask too.

“Honestly, we haven’t spoken in depth about that yet.

As you might know, Hallie is quite independent, so I don’t want to try to dictate anything.

I know how I feel, and the most important thing to me is that she feels comfortable and knows she’s taken care of in every way.

How we handle things in the coming months is something we’ll continue working through together. ”

Every word is the truth. If I had it my way, no, I wouldn’t be paying her to nanny for Sophia.

She’d be there in the mornings and afternoons because she’d live with us, and she could take on additional babysitting or nannying jobs or whatever she wanted to do.

And I’d make sure everything she could possibly need was taken care of.

But that’s not up to me. Hallie has to want that too.

So until we get closer to that place, I’m taking it a day at a time.

Under the table, Hallie squeezes my hand.

After a moment, Eddie gives me an understanding smile. “That may be the nicest way I’ve ever been told to mind my own business.”

I put my hands up in surrender. “Hey, I get it. I’m a dad too.”

“Speaking of that—and feel free to tell me to mind my own business—is Sophia’s mother in the picture? I made a lot of mistakes in handling that with Frannie and her biological father, so I’m curious what Hallie will be dealing with.”

Hallie gave me the rundown on Frannie not being Eddie’s biological child—and not finding that out until she was in her early twenties—and how it affected Frannie and Cheyenne’s relationship.

“Soph’s mom is not involved in her life. That was her decision. The door is always open if she wants to come back—and she feels she could be consistent about that—but I don’t see that happening.”

“Not an area of drama to worry about,” Hallie says to her mom. “Even though you should know by now, I can handle anything like that. All that matters to me is that Sophia knows how loved and special she is.”

“That must’ve been difficult for you—raising Sophia alone,” Eddie says.

“Raising kids is always hard. I was lucky to have my mom to help. We lived with her up until this past year. My dad passed a couple of years before Sophia was born, so she devoted a lot of her time to helping us.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your father,” Eddie says.

Cheyenne reaches over and rests her hand on mine. “Me too. I know how tough that is.”

“Thank you.” My phone pings, and I glance down at it. “Looks like your food is here.” I move to stand up, but Eddie stands first.

“I’ll get it. You stay here.”

The look he gives me conveys what he really means. Stay with her. Take care of her.

Stroking my thumb over Hallie’s shoulder, I glance at her. She’s wearing a soft smile, like everything’s going exactly how she wanted things to.

She really is envisioning us as a family.

She sees a future with all of us together.

But if that’s what she wants, why does she keep holding herself back from having it?